Twilight Princess
by A Clockwork Clock
Summary: A novelization of the game. This is going to be long.
1. Chapter 1: The Setting Worlds

Note to the World: While this is a novelization, I am going to take artistic liberties. While playing the game, I made up my own back stories, dialogue, etc., and I am going to vent them here. I also felt the plot line could have been tied together a bit better; so instead of just complaining like I usually do, I'm going to write. Stuff is going to happen out of order, and I am going to add new characters, but they are going to fill in plot holes or have been inspired by other characters in the Zelda universe. There will be no author proxies, friend proxies, or any similar device. I will also change personalities when I feel like it: I do not want Link to be an "archetypal hero" they're too overdone; I do not want him to be static (his character is going to change). Characters will change when I feel like it (I feel very strongly that the Oocaa are glorified chickens, and the dragon should have had a personality); and the later plot developments are up in the air (in my mind). If you want a short, word for word rendition of the game, you do not want this.

Read and review. I want to know about my writing style, the way I piece this thing together: what do you think? Don't just tell me good things, if something irks (ha ha ha "irks") you then, by God, say it. I want to become a professional writer, and I need to know what my audience thinks. Flame, go ahead. Just, you've been warned about what type of story this will be.

P.S. I do not own the Legend of Zelda Franchise or anything in it; if I did, I would not be writing fan fiction. I do however, own almost all of the wording. I know what's mine and should I catch you usurping my sentences, may the great fairies have mercy on you.

* * *

At the ends of the world, Hyrule, lay a forest. It was a forest of life: immortals lived freely there, fairies walked with wolves, the trees spoke of the birth of the planet. Deep in the forests of Hyrule, long had there been a force counter balancing life, the Master Sword. The blade had been left there ages ago by the hero, the only mortal denizen of the forest. He meant for it be a blessing, a protecting force to linger after he was gone, but it eroded walls of magic to the point that even normal humans could live among the outskirts of the trees. The woods that were once cursed to mortals, both mortal men and mortal trees, became open to them. The blade was a world shaper; but it is unknown as to whether it consciously decided to open the barriers of magic in the forest or it was fulfilling its role as a death dealer. 

Either way, the humans came.

There is a third possibility however; the sword could have been calling people to itself, trying to find the one who could draw it from its pedestal; the climate of the worlds were changing, and the sword want to be apart of that change.

In the forest, the two of them sat like a father and son by the Spirit Spring; their practice swords thrown haphazardly by the water's edge.

"They say," Rusl explained, "at a deep red sun-down, like this, our world crosses over with theirs."

"Hmm? Whose world?" Asked Link

"The Twilight Realm: it's a world that is always inches away from ours, but we can't wander into it." Rusl said, tilting his head back to watch the dieing sky, "At dusk we see it's colors, and sometimes we go there in nightmares. A world between worlds and within the soul," he smiled. "You know, some say witches and warlords come from the Twilight Realm."

"Is that something else you heard in Hyrule?" Link asked.

There was a slight pause; Link tapped his finger impatiently but Rusl was taking in the twilight. He finally answered:

"I keep forgetting you've never been there."

"What's it like there?"

"Not nearly as beautiful as our forest. There are only a few trees, none as big as the lesser dekus we have, most of it's just grass and rocks stretching for miles without a single human. And sky, the sky stretches with the grass as far as you can see."

"You're going back to Hyrule at the next full moon to deliver that sword, right? Well . . . I was wondering if I could go with you, and if you can't spare people around the village, let me go by myself. I'll remember to eat and sleep. I swear I will."

"It sounds like you've sorta thought this through, quite an improvement. But let me think about it, okay?" Rusl stood and stretched. "First, we have to load this firewood on that horse Epona and drag her back to the village."

"You know," Link said, standing, patting the dirt off his leggings, "she doesn't like it when you try to pull her along; she knows where she's going."

"If she knows where she's going, why doesn't she go when I lead her?"

"Well, she thinks she can get there by herself."

"See? This is why we don't let you go to Hyrule." Rusl smiled. "Worrying us with talk like that is one thing--we're used to it. But you were stand in the middle of Castle Town, and went on about how the chickens were going to revolt if people kept eating them., you'd find yourself an outcast."

"Of course I wouldn't. People don't eat chickens."

"Around here."

"But . . . But that doesn't make any sense! Why don't they just revo--"

"Just load that firewood on your horse already, and don't make me do it. Please. Last time I tried, she attacked me."

"Yeah . . . So I can go to Hyrule, right?" Link asked again, picking up the logs.

Link thought about it when he was doing his final rounds about the ranch that day: Hyrule, the Twilight Realm, and all the worlds beyond it. It wasn't that he disliked the forest, he loved it. He could wait all night, still as a rabbit, to see a lesser deku tree move and talk to its neighbor. He had always tried to find huts of the Kokiri Tree Dwellers and the king of the forest, the Great Deku Tree. He liked to find fairy fountains. And one of the favorite stories the people of his village liked to tell was about Link as an eight year old trying to force a stream to tell him where he could find the Queen of the Fairies (it was a mortal, normal stream, often used to wash dishes), and although this was a source of embarrassment for him, he still wished the stream would have just told him and spared him the humiliation. He wasn't insane; he just grew up in a forest where all of these things existed.

But still, Link was feeling claustrophobia in his small, tight-knit world: he had seen less than forty people growing up. To see a world beyond his own, Link wanted that. Besides, Rusl's stories never helped.


	2. Chapter 2: Dawning

Link woke up the next day, sun barely risen, with the herd of kids outside his house built in the Kokiri style: up in a tree. Yawning, stretching, he went over to the window to see what they were yelling about. The two brothers were out. "Link! You don't work at the ranch today, right?" Talo yelled up. Next to him, was his little brother Malo, looking bitter as usual. "Isn't it your day off?"

"Yes, I'm trying to sleep."

"You don't need to sleep! Come play with us!"

Oh well, he was up anyway.

By the time he had dressed, Beth had joined them, and the kids had found something else to yell about. "A sling shot?"

"Yeah," said Beth, "it's in my parents store."

"Can I buy it?" Talo asked.

"Do you have money?"

"No." Talo muttered.

"Then No."

"Can I trade you for it?"

"No!

"Can . . . We trade families?"

"NO!"

"Hi, Link." A forth voice whispered.

"Hey, Colin."

"I . . . uhm, do you want to go fishing? I made you this." He held up a fishing pole.

"Oh, wow, you made this?" It couldn't even be reeled, just a string on a pole; Link either didn't notice or didn't care. "Thank you."

"Do you like it?" Colin asked in his hushed voice. "I know you like fishing, and your last fishing pole broke when I was using it, and I'm still sorry."

"No, don't worry about that last fishing rod anymore, ok? I like this a lot better than what I had." Link genuinely did. He had made his last fishing pole during his hours of solitude on the ranch; and he had worked on it when he felt down. This had no bad feelings attached to it.

Talo, bored of arguing with Beth looked over human trade said, "I could make one of those real easily; it's nothing special." Colin blushed.

"You," muttered Malo, "can't even concentrate on something shiny for two seconds."

Talo turned back to Malo to argue with him (and Malo swore that his point was just as good as proved; Talo swore that Link wasn't shiny). But damage was already done. Colin stood there, looking at the half raw piece of wood and string he called a fishing line; he stood there sorry that was the best he could offer.

But Link smiled and asked:

"So when do you want to go fishing?"

Colin looked up at Link as though he'd been saved.

"I really can't for a few hours;" Colin said softly, "I have to water the pumpkins, you know? But after that, yeah, after that I can."

Talo, Malo, and Beth all looked over, jealous: in their eyes Link was the coolest person in the whole known world (about twenty people to them), and Colin failed to be awesome in every way they knew (approximately twelve ways). But Link was oblivious, letting Epona out of her pen, he hopped onto her back. Colin simply walked beside him into town.

* * *

"Oh Din's Fury," the mayor swore eyeing Epona, who should have been up with the goats, "Fado's the only one up at the ranch today, isn't he?"

"He's a good guy." Link offered.

"That's not my point, boy. Fado's a complete featherbrain. I don't even care if this gets back to him; he needs to get on the ball. You notice things¾not humans, you never notice human things, but you can at least figure nature and those goats out. Fado on the other hand--"

"Mr. Mayor," interjected Uli, Colin's Mother, who had joined Link and her son. "I know you don't care but, please; Fado's been known to cry over insults."

"It's the truth ma'am."

"And of course this is going to get back to him. This place is so small you could hear a child whisper from across the way."

Link nodded, "Yeah, how big is this place? Twenty-some feet?"

The mayor looked at Link like he was going to strike him, but Link smiled serenely. The mayor asked, "Shouldn't you all be working be working? How would you like to not have a day off, Link?"

"I'm alright, thank you."

"Actually, I have a favor to ask you, Link." Uli said. "Could you help my son and the others with sword-play? I know my husband's been teaching you for quite awhile, and as the woods become more and more dangerous . . ."

The mayor interjected, "Excellent suggestion, Uli."

"I was wondering," she continued, "if you'd want to teach the children some self defense techniques. If you can't for whatever reason, then don't feel any pressure to. I could just make Rusl do it."

"No, I can."

"Not going to try to find the Kokiri today, huh?" She smiled

"No, I have to prove to Rusl that I'm not crazy so he'll let me out of his sight for twenty-four hours. (Please don't tell him that's a goal of mine.)"

Uli shook her head, "Of course I won't, as long as you don't hurt yourself."

The Mayor stared him down. "You aren't going to turn into another Fado are you?"

Link thought for a moment, "I don't know; I'm not a seer."

The Mayor could have cried.

Far from up the path, winding to the ranch they heard a voice cry out. "Goat on the loose!" Indeed a goat was hurtling down the path as fast as it could, a wild look in it's eyes. Those around him fled, but Link took a defensive stance. The goat tried to get past him but he jumped in its way and braced for impact. The goat crashed into him, pushing him backwards; he took its full-moon horn in both hands, the creature squirming, off balancing; Link quickly moved his left foot back and turned his torso; arms and goat following. The goat rolled over, baa-ing.

"Are you sure you don't want to work at the ranch today?" Begged the mayor.

"I'm positive. See you 'round." He pet the goat which had stood up and come to it's senses. It had been so scared. The look in its eyes; it had been mad, crazy; he really shouldn't have stood in it's way. But wolves lived out in the forest, and it had been headed in that direction. It had sweated through it's blue coat too; it had put itself in danger. Something was happening in nature.

"Colin, could you walk this goat up to the ranch for me?"

"Sure." Colin piped. Uli smiled; something even as small as this would help Colin's self-esteem.

Of course Link trusted Colin; he trusted him more than the other kids to get things done (he didn't know why). But right now, he wanted to get back out into the forest, the direction the wind was now blowing from. The other kids were still there, and he wanted to make sure they were alright.

They weren't.

Talo and Beth were now hissy fighting over who would be a better fighter.

"It's not like you could rescue a princess!" Talo yelled.

"Well," Beth breathed. "It's not like half of royalty aren't men; I could go and rescue a prince."

"They have swords!" Yelled Talo.

Beth retorted, "They're princes, not fighters; they've probably never had to pick one up in their life!"

"They still have swords!"

"You," said Beth, shaking her fist, "don't even have a sword!"

"I-could-if-I-wanted-one!"

"Talo," Malo broke in, "You do want one and you still don't have one."

"I could use a slingshot!"

"You could use a branch, for play." Interrupted Link, making his presence known.

All three of them turned.

"Link;" Beth whined, "Can't I be a prince-rescuer?"

"I think--that's up to your parents." Link said cautiously.

"I have a branch now," Talo said, "It was over there."

Beth hurried over to the direction he found it, opposite where he pointed.

"Teach me how to fight," Talo commanded.

"I could just teach all of you how to fight."

"I have better things to do," Malo muttered.

"Like what? Complain?" Beth asked, returning with a comparably larger stick than Talo.

"I'm not bitter," said Malo. "I'm just hard to please."

Talo whined, "teach me to fight."

Link showed them how to do some simple slashes: horizontal slashes, vertical, how to use your hips to give force to your arms, how jump and bring the blade down on an adversary, and the three of them practiced on Link's increasingly pathetic scarecrow. Beth and Malo displayed certain spirit as they swung their sticks, but they lacked any form of skill. Upon seeing their inability wield even a stick, Link was happy that they had no reason to ever use their (lack of) skills.

"But when do we do this for real?" Asked Talo.

Link leaned back from Talo's enthusiastic stick swinging and said, "When something real comes along."

"What about," Malo asked, "A monkey?"

"Like the ones that eat our pumpkins?" Beth asked.

"Well, monkeys are real." Link noted, "But aren't they just hungry? Not exactly terrifying."

"Oh, oh, you just did it again." Talo pointed, "My dad was once telling us that it's a type of witchery to try to think like an animal. He said he was worried that you do that a lot."

"'Try to think like an animal?'" muttered Malo, "Link doesn't 'try.' What about that monkey? The one who has a pumpkin. Over there."

Beth and Talo looked over at the monkey sinking it's teeth into a pumpkin they had planted and raised in hopes of a pie. They watched it, abashed, for a full second before raising sticks and running pell-mell towards the simian. The monkey looked up and waited not even a millisecond before picking up and carrying the pumpkin away. Beth and Talo were after it that instant. And Malo simply stared ("You noticed the monkey too, right?") No, actually Link didn't; he had been imagining a world with stick-less children. Very peaceful.

Well, he brought this on himself. He whistled for his horse, managed to scale her tall shoulder, and set after them.


	3. Chapter 3: Monsters and Monkeys

The woods were quiet; cool and deep. A silence had been ushered by the monkeys chasing the other creatures of the world away. For the moment, the woods were theirs. Link knew this; Epona knew this; the kids, drunk off their newfound stick brandishing power, seemed to not know this.

First rule of the forest: never chase something if it is going into an area it knows better than you. Granted, a monkey wasn't a wolf, it wouldn't try to eat your flock, but it was still dangerous. And it still knew the area better than them. And it still had sharp little claws. And a bunch of buddies, with sharp little claws.

He was not catching up to them; Epona was many times faster than any human could be, and they were not catching up to the kids. Link shuddered.

Epona shuddered because he did. "Ha, girl." And she dashed forward.

Through the trees, through the shadows: running; galloping. No wolves, no vicious trees. Both horse and rider's nostrils flared. It could be worse. But he still didn't know where they had gone.

But then a stick, some bark worn away, looking like it had been used to hit something. A play sword. And a little while later another stick snapped in two. Link had crossed into Faron province, still the forest, but different. Somewhat malign when it wanted to be, and wolves roamed freely here. Link followed a well worn monkey trail.

To the left, behind a tree--something was there. He dismounted and quietly pulled his own practice sword, and climbed the nearest tree to wait for it. The creature came out from behind it's tree: blue skinned, at first he thought it was a stray goat until it came into full view. Bipedal, with a club, it was a few heads shorter than Link (and Link was short). It saw Epona and grinned, cawed, motioned to something Link couldn't see. Another one? It came to Epona, then the other one. Epona panicked, crushed the creature under her feet then, wild eyed, rearing kept the other creature back with flailing forelegs. Link took aim and hurtled his practice sword towards the creature's chest. He missed, but it still hit its head. Link jumped down. The first one killed; the second, unconscious. He whispered to Epona till she gained her bearings.

Link froze.

He had used his own horse as bait; that's what he'd done. He knew she could defend herself better than himself, but she was easily frightened. He cooed to her, and she stopped pawing the ground. Link bit his bottom lip and climbed onto her back again, begged her forgiveness, that he wished he could fight for her and everyone else, but her master was weak and unprepared. She shied away from the creature's bodies. And he urged her to leap over them.

That behind them; the kids ahead.

Ahead, chasms began to open in the earth. The trees grew big, and aside from Epona's hooves, it was silent. No wind reached here. No birds. Nothing. This place had to be near to the lost woods and the sacred forest meadow. Only magic could make the forest like this. He had to get the kids and get out as fast as he could.

They approached a tree, biggest one Link had ever seen, a smooth clay bridge connecting the path to the front gate over a deep chasm. A cage out in front of the tree. There, that's where they were. Link spurred Epona forward, nearly flying. Two more beasts, Link turned Epona sharply, his sword following his horses spin. He cut through the two creatures in a single motion.

Link dismounted, worried, giddy.

"Talo? Beth?"

The two were huddled together: wide eyed and unspeaking, unflinching. Behind them, was the monkey, pounding its small hands against the wooden bars.

"Keep down, both of you. Keep that monkey down, too." He took his sword and hacked through the wooden grate, ruining the blade's edge. The kids tumbled out as soon as enough bars were loose, the monkey only came out when Link lay his sword down and manually lifted the creature out. It clawed his hand and ran away, up the tree.

"Link," Talo whispered. "Those creatures got us. We wanted to fight 'em off. We tried. We really did."

Beth broke down, "Link, they were probably gonna eat us!"

"Only you came along." Talo said, quietly.

"Link, that monkey, she tried to fight with us. She wasn't a monster!" Beth cried, grasping the situation. "I though . . ." She whimpered. "I--I thought . . ."

"You're going to ride Epona back. I'll lead her." Neither of them argued. He helped them up onto Epona, trying to think of something to say, anything. "It'll be ok." or "I won't let it happen again." Only, the goats were trying to get loose, because there were probably wolves, or those monsters around. He could not be there the whole time--he just couldn't. There were strange signs in the forest, none good: he couldn't even say something uplifting for the future. He only managed to say, "I'm just glad you're alright."

He led them back through the monkey path and out of Faron. Rusl was there: "Link, you have them?"

"Yeah." Link breathed, tired.

"Colin ran to find me. He said he found Malo practicing sword play against a scarecrow, alone. He came to get me, thinking something was wrong."

Link showed Rusl his battered sword in agreement.


	4. Chapter 4: A Dusting of Dusk

Chapter Four: A Dusting of Dusk

He had a scrape on his right arm. A scrape on his leg. And a headache. He still went to work, he had gone to the ranch even with cracked ribs courtesy of a belligerent doe goat. But today was easy, the goats were grazing peacefully, and Link lay in the grass of the goat pastures, mindlessly chewing on the flat end of a horse grass, looking at his banged-up arms. The kids had suffered some similar bruising though theirs was from mistreatment at the hands of monsters, not from a flight through a few dozen thickets.

He was healing though. When he woke up at four a.m. to chase off the howling wolves, he decided to stay outside and float around in the Spirit's Spring. A smarter decision than it sounds; to injure another in the spring is to condemn yourself to punishment at the hands of the goddesses. Those injured in a spring cannot die from that wound inflicted, no matter how grievous, and those injured who rest in the spring's waters will recover from their wounds; and all animals knew this. Ordon was also free from sickness and plague--a windfall attributed to the life-giving Spirit. The Spirit was not worshipped, but instead treated like a neighbor. Occasionally parents would leave their children in it's waters, asking it to take care of them for an afternoon while they worked. Link would simply go to recount his day and ask what the Spirit thought of it. It never answered--but Link always felt more at ease. It was especially true in this case: monsters, kidnappings, the goats scared, and Rusl would leave soon to go Hyrule. Only a few days ago he had wanted to get out of this place, now he wanted no one to leave; but Rusl had crafted a sword for the Queen herself. A great honor, and although it made sense for Rusl to go, he was the best fighter in Ordon, with him gone that left only one other person with fighting expertise: Link.

"Link?" Fado called, over the goats lazing around him.

"Yeah?" Link called back.

"What do ya think we put these fellahs away early today, huh?"

"They haven't eaten much today: so if we do, we should give them extra hay. I don't want them eating their way out of their stalls. Why put them away earlier today?"

"Aren't you," asked Fado, "headed out to Hyrule today?"

"What? No. Rusl is going; it's something he gets to do."

"Then why was he talkin' 'bout it earlier today?"

Link shot up straight in the grass, wide eyed. His mouth moved silently, then he shook his head.

"Ya wanna go now?"

Link whistled for his horse.

"I'm going to Hyrule?" Yelled Link, barging into Rusl, Uli, and Colin's house. "Is Fado, right?"

Uli looked over from her weaving, placing her hand against her forehead. "Promise me you won't run into stranger's houses, and start screaming when you get there, ok?"

Link threw his arms up in the air and started yelling for joy. Epona stuck her head in through the open window to see if her human was getting injured.

"Epona's actually part of the reason you're going instead of my husband. We feel that something is changing in the world, and we felt the sword should be delivered as fast as possible. Link, if you don't want to, or feel you can't speak up, tell me now. You'll be on your own in a foreign--"

"Can you cook something for me? Where's Rusl? I have questions. When am I leaving? Can you lend me a sword to use? My old, practice sword is starting to look really bad. I have to tell Rusl!"

He dodged out the door, down the path, and ran straight into Ilia. They hadn't seen each other for a few days, quite an accomplishment for two people in Ordon. She was the only other person Link's age in the two forests; she was also the Mayor's daughter, though the two looked absolutely nothing alike. "Link?"

"Ilia! I'm being sent to Hyrule to give a sword directly to the Queen. You're going to have to make sure all of the kids are properly entertained while I'm gone."

"I will not let them climb on me. Or pull me into their arguments or let them hit me with sticks." She said firmly. "You stay and do that yourself."

"Sticks? No, that was just my scarecrow. He's a problem: very friendly to the birds, not that that's a bad thing just it took me so long to make him and he doesn't do his job."

"Link," Ilia said, nearly pleading. "Doesn't anyone around here get it? You, you're too good. You just don't have what it takes to deal with things out there; those city people are cut-throat; they'll hurt you if you can. And now everyone in this place is sending you on a mission to deliver a sword to a castle that needs swords. That isn't a request made during peace-time, I just know it. Father!" She saw him trying to sneak past. "I hear Link is going to go forth and lay down evil with his sword of truth."

"Ilia, dearie, please don't use that sarcastic tone. It's unbecoming."

"You wanna know what's 'unbecoming?'" Asked Ilia; using a tone of voice that sent both Link and the Mayor backing up. "Having the youths of the village come home in pieces. I don't trust what you're doing; it's not right." Epona walked up to them, although her ears were back from the noise, she still nickered at Link. Ilia cooed, "And poor Epona, my poor sweet horse. What's this?" she asked looking at Epona's knee. "She's injured! Oh, you hurt her jumping fences again, didn't you Link? Didn't you! You should be sent to your own death!"

"Now Ilia." Interjected the Mayor.

"Father! He's injuring his own animal! The poor creature doesn't know what she's doing aside from the fact that she's doing what _he_ wishes!" She yelled, pointing at Link. Her father tried to say something, but Ilia spoke first, "Don't you get it? Both of them are in danger! Link from your stupidity¾and Epona from Link's stupidity! Now, You are the Mayor: Start Acting Like It!" Link and the Mayor exchanged looks of dire pain. "Oh, you poor, poor horse," She cooed. "Let's take you to the Spirit's Spring shall we?"

"No! wait Ilia. Link needs his horse to get him to Hyrule."

"I . . .uh . . .I think that's half the point of her taking her away." Said Link, "Don't worry, I'll get her back." Link ran out of the town. Colin was there waiting for him.

"Ilia has your horse."

"Yeah, about that--Which way did she go?"

"That way, but Link. I hear you'll be leaving."

Link paused for a moment, thinking about what Ilia said, "Yeah. Yeah, I am."

"Link." Colin whispered. "Uhm, I really think it's cool how you can just do anything at a moments notice, you know? You're really brave." Colin blushed, Link was glad that he couldn't blush, he always felt awkward when people complimented him like this. "It's all to scary . . . I wish I was stronger, like you." Colin snapped back into the moment,"Sorry. Uhm . . .Ilia took Epona past them." Colin nodded towards the end of the path. Talo and Malo were there. "Maybe it's just me." He whispered, "but those guys don't let anyone through."

"We'll see what we can do about that." Link said, grinning. He walked up to the two boys blocking the path, "Hey, guys do you mind if you let us through?  
"Link, you can go on, but not him." Talo said pointing at Colin. "Tattle tales aren't nice enough to be let through. If you hadn't told your Dad that we were missing, we wouldn't be in trouble."

"We got spanked," growled Malo.

"Yeah, but Link you can come through." said Talo.

Link responded, shrugging, "We'll just find a way around."

Malo looked up, "You know what, we'll let you through if you give us that sword."

Link thought for a second then: "Sure thing." He drew his ruined sword and handed it over.

Talo looked ecstatic as Link hand over the cheap blade, and even Malo looked excited as they ran off with it, in the direction of Link's poor scarecrow. As he and Colin went down to the spring, Link felt as though they were being watched. A quick glance around showed no one was there. But there was that prickling at the back of his neck. . .

The spring; tall, craggy rocks surrounded it and when it was gated off, it could pass as a small fort. And Ilia shouted through the gate. "Colin can come in if he wants, but Link, you stay out there and think about what it is you've done! Epona's a lady and really should be treated like one! And foolishly just running out of town like this at a drop of the hat--"

"Link." said Colin, "There's a small path on the other side of the rocks: you could always try to scale that. I'm gonna tell Ilia about the chase through the woods, about Beth and Talo. I don't know if she's heard about that."

"Thanks"

Colin smiled weakly.

Link walked around the wall-like rocks. That feeling again, someone was there. He turned, and saw nothing, only a shadow. Maybe it was just nerves . . .

He found the part of the rock that Colin had been talking about, it was half hidden by ferns, but he used those to help him get over the side, clinging to one if his footing was bad. He jumped off when he reach the top, not bothering to climb down, and splashed up the clear water around him.

But Ilia was passive; her face, stone; her eyes, sad. Link had always been her best friend, someone there, always there. To Ilia, there had never been a time when he wasn't in the forest. "I didn't know about the chase yesterday," She said flatly. "I didn't know about the monsters. I believe it though. Your arm, it's bruised . . . Are you alright?" Link nodded. "And that happened--here. I don't know what's out there. And I'm afraid of it. Even Epona, what if there's something she can't outrun?" Ilia reached her hand up to pet the horse, but Epona yanked her head away, ears back. Ilia quietly said, "So, you still prefer you master over me, huh? Link, can you promise me this? Please, just come back, alright?"

There was a rumble in the distance as many hooves crossed into Ordon, and Link wondered casually if the Hyrulians had simply come to get the sword. They were not Hyrulians; they were not even human. Boars, carrying on their backs monsters. Green skin, red eyes. Colin screamed, yelled. Link tried to pull his sword, but it was not there. A creature rode toward him and with it's club, cracked Link across his forehead. But not before he saw them shoot Ilia. An arrow into her leg--

Disoriented. Fallen. Seeing doubles. He woke up, twenty seconds later, twenty minuets later. He had fallen face up into the water. The monsters were stupid, a quick look around would have hidden him from their vision, especially if a boar had stepped over him. His head throbbed, but

Ilia

Colin

Epona

Where were they?!

He stumbled to his feet and ran. Ran straight to the bridge he heard them come over. The sky was burning red. The grass dark. And before him, cutting off Faron from the rest of the world--a wall of night. On it were symbols, moving freely, but held in a fixed area by bright orange lines.

A hand formed from the darkness, reaching out. Grabbed Link's neck. And Dragged Him In.

The same forest he had always known. But all the wrong colors. His head pounding. His lungs, not taking in enough air. A black creature, twisted, armed, looked at him with an eyeless head. Link gasped for air. His skin pin pricked. His heart was seizing up. He could hardly breath. The creature picked Link up, experimentally, but a flash of light threw the beast backwards. Link feel to his knees, to his hands. Shaking. The air, crushing him. He, his soul pushing out. But it burned him, feverishly. He howled, pained, as the pressure from all sides overtook him, but he beat it back still. Falling unconscious.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: Reality Warped

Link awoke much slower than usual; maybe because of the shock of what he had felt, what he had seen. What had he seen? Scared, numb: his whole being began to feel like limb waking up after having been crushed for a long time, pins and needles from the inside out. He was in a cell of some kind; musty, solid stone on three sides; metal bars on the forth. The fear growing in him forced him to try and stand, and looking down he saw what had once been his hand--now a paw.

He stared in disbelief. His right hand, his left hand. No. No. Covered in fur with a claw on each digit. He could feel it now.

His body burning itself awake.

He could feel how his muscles were different; his joints; his face. This wasn't right. A muzzle at the end of his face. This was wrong: his paw¾_his paw_¾was mewed up in a metal ring, chained to the floor. Where was he? A nightmare? He shook himself, not waking up; couldn't wake up. Panic seized him. And he tore at his arm in the handcuff. It was just a nightmare; the twilight realm; the shadow realm. Soon he would just wake up--he tore at the chain. Unable to break himself free. And not strong enough. Bitterly howled at the cold, stone floor. A wolf's voice. A wolf's body. The creature that ate his flocks alive. Link ached for this to be a nightmare. But the pain was too real. He didn't want to die this way. In a distant land. In the wrong body. He would not die like this. Once again, he sunk his teeth into the cold steel that tied him to the ground and began to rip at it; saliva running down the iron link chain.

And she watched him.

She saw Link long before he saw her. Her cackling gave her away in the end, and Link turned his bared teeth. She was half in a shadow, more apart of it than hiding in it; short fur, black and white, covered her body; one red eye, its white tinted yellow; the other eye hidden under a spire crested helmet. A fang stuck out from the rest of her teeth.

"Found you!" The imp laughed, flying towards him. Link ducked but she did not hit him. She hung there in the air, floating, grinning. "Hello, wolfie man!" she cackled, her voice high. "Fine day for being locked away in a parallel dimension, isn't it?"

Link tried to say something, but he could only growl.

"My my, what a rude beast you are." The imp said. "That isn't the right way to treat me. If you were nice and tame, I'd help you get out of here." Link stopped growling. Who was she that she would let him out of here? No "help" him out of here. She couldn't be one of his captors. "Good idea, not growling, that is. But you humans¾obedient to a fault! Oh but you aren't a human anymore are you? A ha ha ha!" She backed up in the air, spun gracefully, and melted through the bars of the cell.

"So where do you think we are? Hmm? Home? Wonderland? A nightmare? Can't tell me what you think, can you? I believe you'll get used to this new body of yours soon enough¾I put you in it." Link snapped his jaws at her. "Oh, calm down. You'll see shortly why you need that fur; though . . ." she cocked her head, her eye glinting, "I'm sure you see why you need out of that cage, before you see the rest of the Twilight."

She closed her eye; straightened herself; brought her hands together, and forced them apart. The chain tying Link to the floor snapped off.

"I'm so benevolent, aren't I? But you!" Leering again, she commanded, "get out of that cell yourself. If you can't even do that, you're a lost cause, and I'll find another desolate creature to save."

Link looked around; the bars were rusted. He had seen too many goats burst through old fences to not think he couldn't do it himself, especially now that he was a beast . . .

He rammed himself against the bars--nothing happened.

The imp began to laugh again. Link bared his teeth but didn't growl. He looked around, and when he breathed in the musty air, oxidized iron hit his nose like a hammer. If the metal was rusting it would be weaker. Link found a particularly rusty bar and used his head to push it aside. When he finally squeezed through the crack he looked around for the little creature that had been taunting him. She wasn't anywhere around him.

Then she landed on his back with a thud. Link howled and tried to buck her off. But pulling on his ears, she commanded:

"Stop! Look, my pet. You're going to help me out of here; I'm not in any shape to fight, so you get to do that for me."

He whined in protest.

"You're Link, right? Well the name's Midna. You need me: you don't know where you are; you don't know what's going on; and if you were to meet one another Twilight Denizen, you wouldn't understand a word they say. You could get trapped, not know where to go. You'd starve to death. You could eat something poisonous, die slowly, painfully. Now--I can save you from these things. So trust me, it's best you have me with you, got it?

"Now ya pony. Onwards."

Link bitterly began to move his feet; his awakening nerves still burning. He breathed in deeply then charged forward through the door of the dungeon and downwards, and he was feeling more and more like his own horse every second. Midna yanked on his ear, steering him to the right.

"No! Wrong way. You've got to turn to your right."

So Link veered right.

"This is a sewer, an exceptionally clean one. It must route water in from the mountains. Have you ever seen one before? Mountains? Sewers? So aside from it being a sewer, do you know where we are? Why don't you try smelling; it's a wolfy thing to do, isn't it?"

The air smelled vastly different than before, but it could have been because he was in a place other than home, or maybe as a wolf he could smell more . . .

"Turn right." Midna said, tugging his head down a dingy stone hall. "They also say animals can see ghosts. Can you see the one in front of us?"

There was a light.

"You wanna see something cool? Concentrate on it, and tell me what you see. Oh wait, you can't talk. Just keep moving. I said keep moving!"

Link slowed to a stop. A blue flame was hovering in midair.

"That's a ghost's soul light." said Midna, bored, "yes, fascinating. If you must hear his sob story just concentrate on him and let go of yourself--at the same time."

So Link did. A few moments and nothing happened, then he felt the ghost weeping. And then he heard it cry out:

"Mother," a face formed. "I want to go home. I should never have come to this place." He was clothed in armor and clutching a spear, which he clung to less like a weapon and more like a teddy bear. "I can't take these monsters anymore. I want to go home!"

Link went back to his normal senses. He shook himself and traveled onward, with Midna poking her heels into his sides.

"Oh, just so you know, the monsters he was talking about wasn't us. He couldn't see us. Most people here can't; oh¾but I could see him, and not because I'm an animal. I'm a Sorceress. I'm not an animal." Link felt her tense up. "I'll kill him once I get stronger." She swore, and Link hoped to every goddess he knew about that she wasn't talking about killing him. "Go faster!" She urged, and tugged his left ear. He turned left.

Midna's head whipped to her right, and she pointed yelling, "Spider to the right! To the right! Get it!" Link, cowered not know what to do. "With your teeth, man! Sic it!" He jumped forward and grabbed the squirming creature in his mouth and bit down. It flailed against him; howled at him and bit into his muzzle, but Link shook it until he died, his teeth crunching through its exoskeleton. It's black blood ran over his tongue: he spat its remains out of his mouth. He felt nauseous. Sitting down, he tried to calm himself.

This could not really be happening to him. He did not just kill something with his teeth. He was not like this. This was just a bad dream.

"If you feel bad about killing that thing that would have eaten you if it were any bigger, I'm leaving you here and now."

Link jumped into the shallow water of the sewer and tried to wash his mouth out.

"Fine, you do that. I'll go open this door."

Link breathed slowly, trying not to throw up; this was all too much. This world, this imp, this black bile blood that would not get out of his mouth. He looked over and saw Midna floating around, looking for a door switch. She found a hanging pulley, but instead of reaching up with her hands, her hair began to slither upwards like a living creature. This writhing mass of crimson and orange hair formed fingers of the same color and yanked on the pulley drawing the door up. Her hair moved like it was alive and had a mind of its own. Link vomited.

* * *

"When I see a wolf, I don't think 'Oh look, a dainty flower. Maybe I should shelter it.' Is that what you want to be, Dandelion?" Midna threatened as they climbed a stairwell. "Here, let me lift you through this window." Link's feet lifted off the ground; nothing held him, but he kept his panic on the inside. She whipped around to his front to see the reaction on his face, but he kept eye contact with her. "Good wolfie." Then he found himself flying through an open window and landing on the roof. Midna jumped on his back again.

"There's someone I want for you to meet, but first, the game. Where are we? Do you still not know? Ever seen a building like this?" He had not, they were obviously on a roof, but aside from that he didn't know where they were. There was no sun in the sky, and there was no ground: it looked like an endless chasm in all directions. Lightning lit the sky a few miles away.

"I'm glad you aren't afraid of storms." Midna said under her breath. "Now, run straight ahead. Ooh, 'nother ghost." Indeed there was a light ahead, no a group of lights. All of them trying to flee from a leathery bird attacking them. Midna jammed her heels into Link's sides and he flew at the bird, careful not to bite it, not wanting to bite it. He jumped up, caught the bird between his fore-legs, and slammed it's head into the ground.

A gag-proof way to dispose of vermin.

"Listen to the ghosts. You should hear this."

Link focused like he had earlier, "our home, our Hyrule. It's over, this must be the end of it."

Hyrule!

"Yes," Midna said, "this hell-hole is the glorious epicenter of the known world. I really think the rain matches this dreary architecture. No taste. With as many times as this place came crumbling down over the years, you'd think they would make it a little cheerier. Keep with the times, you know."

Link dashed forward, and Midna nearly tumbled off his back. He laughed, nearly.He soared over the roof tops, his body now completely under his control. The rain came pelting down, and he could feel it, but most of the water just ran off his coat. His coat. He almost felt grateful to his new, waterproof fur. Midna urged him forward with a pat or kick to his sides. Roof gave way to another one and he jumped it daringly; he could not have made it as a human. But he would have traded certain death by roof for his human self.

He jumped and landed, coiled himself then raced ahead, towards a tower. "That person, the one I want you to meet, they're in there," Midna said, grinning wickedly. "I'll help you through the window." He was lifted off his feet again, thrown through the open window, and landed on a staircase, but he landed softly. He assumed Midna was trying to wage some psychological war and would keep him alive long enough for him to be tormented. He bolted up the stairs, hardly waiting for her to settle on his back again, but she found a way. They came upon a half open door, the lightning flashes were visible through the crack. Link pushed the door open the rest of the way with his head.

There was someone there. Standing, facing away, gazing out the windows on the other side of the room. Rain came down the panes, smearing the light into pools. The lightning flashed again. The person visible against the windowed sky they watched. Cloaked in black, they were imposing; Link growled. The person turned.

A young woman.

Her face was barely visible under the cloak, but definitely a woman: Link was taken aback. He had not expected this. Midna even grinned and rolled her eyes upon seeing his expression. Link edged forward.

"Midna? You have returned," the lady exclaimed (Link decided that this was a lady, as opposed to Midna).

"Oh. You've remembered my name;" drawled Midna, "I feel so honored."

The lady knelt down. "Who is this with you, I wonder?"

"I think I heard a girl call him 'Link.' I first saw him out in those Faron woods trying to resist an advanced guard of particularly rancid Twilits; he was without weapons, backup, or hope. He didn't surrender (unlike most of your own people). Looks like he can fight in a desperate situation. Just the man you need, milady." Midna said, managing not to sneer, at least until she said 'milady.' "Of course he still teamed up with me without knowing a single thing about me. I could have been a Poe, and it looks like a would have allied himself with me."

A delicate gloved hand, smelling faintly of lavender, appeared from the cloak and stroked Link's forehead. She saw the snapped of chain on his leg. "You were imprisoned? I am sorry. I am so sorry you have been caught in the crossfire of this war. Please except my apologies on behalf of the Hyrulian Kingdom."

"Ooh;" Midna grinned, arms crossed, "such humility towards a peasant--my Twilight Princess. If you want to be of help to him, I suggest you explain to him the current situation, as you know it."

The Twilight Princess lowered her head, then looked Link in the eye. "Please listen, ours is a land of peace, but there have always been outside forces pulling at Hyrule's heart. One of them, the Twilight Kingdom, has always been there; a kingdom close to ours, overlapping at dusk, but never tangible. But now the worlds are one and the same: this is not a natural eclipse. Most of the Hyrulian proper has been ripped--from the bedrock the goddesses laid down¾and thrust into the lower planes of the shadow realm. It has come, its shadows were forced across our land.

"It happened slowly, though: but the castle went first. We had no standing army, only a handful of palace guards. About a century of Twilits took over the castle. The whole kingdom, ruled by a dynasty that has lasted two hundred years, fell to but a hundred soldiers. They reached the throne-room citadel easily, and the Twilits rushed in, taking down the last of the guards. Their leader who came in the room last flanked by two of his largest guards. He was a magic wielder and was completely covered, his head enshrouded in a demon's helmet.

"He came forward, laughing, telling me that my mother was dead, and that he had been the one who killed her. 'Life or death; surrender or total destruction; not just for you but for your whole country.' He said. I . . . I had been holding my late father's own sword; I had been gripping it for all the life was worth; but I let it fall from my hand. I surrendered¾I lost my parent's kingdom in a second's time. The Castle Town became shrouded in darkness the people, my people lost their bodies in the transfer of power, and they live on like ghosts, unaware that they have passed into spirit forms. 'Life or death,' he said. In retrospect I wonder if what my people are trapped in could truly be called alive. They lack a pulse; they lack any corporeal existence. But I remained unhurt, it was my decision, and they were the ones to suffer. I am a fool."

The lady lifted back the hood of her cloak. Her pale face revealed: "I am Zelda; Princess of Hyrule; Diplomat to the three periphery lands; Descendant of Heroes; and she who failed to honor her titles."

"Oh, don't be so melodramatic." Midna said, her hands clasped neatly behind her head. "It's not all that bad here. Look at that sky. You're storms weren't nearly as perky before."

"My people's hearts are trapped in this abominable land, Midna. All they can feel is a nameless fear gnawing at their hearts. I don't want for them to be like that for all of eternity--hopeless, afraid."

"That's why I'm here," Midna grinned, "and him accompanying me."

"Midna," Zelda said, "I don't believe I know where you come from. You too are a Twilit, are you not? By helping me, you instigate a clash with your rulers. These are your people; your side is the victor." Midna hopped off of Link and spun to face away, hovering. "They are searching for you: trying to destroy you utterly. Why would you help me so much? The rules of war decree that you should be taking in the spoils of war."

"First off, the only rule of war is this: make sure your side has food, water, and medicine: or face possible mutiny. There is no clause for brutally slaughtering innocents. Secondly, I have no idea as to why they might want me. They must be jealous of my good looks." She said stroking her spike like ears.

"Please Midna, Link, take care of yourselves. You have everything to lose--"

"You're trying to make me talk," Midna said dropping on Link, buckling his knees. "well it won't work."

The Princess smiled wearily, "Link, take care of yourself." He perked his head up; she looked so sad, and even a bit ill. He had felt the ill too, but her words¾she had to be a witch of some kind. He felt like he was glowing under her gaze. She continued, "You must leave soon. A guard makes rounds every hour, and I believe the time she comes is nearing. Thank you, thank you so much for coming. For talking. But for everything you are doing, I thank you."

"Yes," Midna grinned, "solitary confinement has never been a good way to groom a ruler. But we're leaving. See you around."

"Fair well." Zelda responded.

Link tried to speak, to say anything, but it came out as a small howl.

"You imbecilic moron!" Midna cried yanking on his ears. "You wanna give us away? Out of the room--quick!"

He dashed, stumbled, regained his posture and dashed again. This body, absolutely ridiculous. He felt it should be a universal law that all creatures under Nayru's fair skies that all animals be two-legged. They flew down the staircase until Midna pulled on Link's ears so hard his head flew back. Footsteps, coming up.

"Damn, they're good; right on time." Midna picked Link up with her hair, flowing like a stream from the top of her helmet, and flew into the nearest vent. She soared through it until they came out, a drop off who knows how big, and landed gracefully on the roof. "So, that's the situation; that's the princess; and now what will you do? Because I have some bad news. I can't turn you back into a human." Link stood there dazed. All of that and now this? "It's beyond my scope of power; It's beyond hers, too. I can't make the light wash the shadows out of you. You got the wolf skin or I let you turn into a shriveling ghost, or worse." She leaned in. "You could have been a monster. You could be one of them, those who are destroying Hyrule. Destroying everything.

"And you can't let that happen; not here, not in your home, or anywhere. But . . . I do think you're forgetting what should be your motivation." Midna jumped in the air and spun her body; shattering, reforming her body. Colin, Colin screaming like he had when he saw the boars bearing down on them; then Ilia, stepping back, terrified.

He would have to rescue them! But where were they? How to find them?

"I can get you to them." Midna promised, still in Ilia's body. "Do me a solid, and I'll do you one. I can get you to them; I'm not bad at tracking, but you must let me come with you. I know too much, and you too little. If I say you do something, you do it. If it's even halting when your friends are but feet away--you must do as I say. Not that I foresee that happening, too much. So you, what do you think?"

Link nodded; Midna smiled:

"Good soldier. Now, I'm going to open up a portal; it'll take you back to where I first saw you. It's called a portal, got it? I'm not going to tell you again."

She swooped her hand down, forcefully, and the roof ripped; it's particles scattered, and a hole of darkness opened, held in by burning neon green lines. Not knowing what it was, Link still dove in. His body dissolved, ripped away, until he was only a single flame. He found himself being only him. Not a human; not a wolf; but something beyond those: himself. He still wanted to save his friends; he still wanted to see the rest of Hyrule; but he found he missed home. He had taken it for granted too long.


End file.
